Improved method of separating sand from water in wells



UNITED STATES PATENT OEETOE TIMOTHY EOsE7 or vcOnTLANDvrLLE7 NEW YORK.

IMPROVED METHOD 0F SEPARATING SAND FROM WATER IN WELLS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 57,9711, dated September 11, 1866.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, TIMOTHY ROSE, of Gort landville, in -the county of Cortland, State ot New York, have invented a new and useful improvement in the application of a device for separating the sand from the water in bored or sunk wells while pumping, and for keeping the bottom of the tube i'ree from clogging by accumulation ot' sand within; andIdo declare that thefollowingis a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon.

The object named is accomplished by means of a strainer and smaller tube placed within the main tube at the bottom, and also a movable point inserted in the bottom ofthe outer tube, the stem of which is grooved, so as to permit the water and sand to pass out downward.

Figure l of the accompanying drawings represents a section of the essential parts of this device, in which a a a a is the main tube and h h the movable point. This point is conical below, and enters the tube by a stem about four or tive inches. This stem is grooved, as represented in F ig. 2. On each side is a pin, j', working in a slot, g, permitting the point to descend 011e or two inches. This descent ot" the point -is effected by withdrawing the tube a short distance after driving it down. When this is done the water and sand have a free passage through the grooves 7c It', as represented in Fig. 3. The object ot' this is to let the sand, which would otherwise accumulate in the tube, pass ont.

The main tube is perforated with small holes b b for a distance ot' one or two feet. Inside of this main tube is iitted a smaller tube, d, held firmly in place by flanges c c inserted between the joints of the main tube, and so as to cut oft' the chamber below this joint from any communication with the tube above except through the smaller tube. This smaller tube is likewise perforated with small holes t i, and is also surrounded and closed at the bottom by a tine strainer, c e, ot' wire' gauze or perforated metallic plate, or whatever substance may serve the purpose.

I am aware that wire-cloth has been used to strain the water; but when placed on the outside of the pipe it is liable to be broken and torn oit in driving down, and experience shows it to be of little use.

' I am aware also that wire-cloth and screens have been used on pumps for deep wells in various ways; but I am not aware that a strainer has been used between the two pipes,

and having a space between it and the tubes on either side, whereby the motion of the water created by the action of the pump will serve to keep the strainer free from clogging' by the sand; nor am I aware that in any previous devices there has been open passage for the water and sand through the bottom ot' the tubes, whereby the sand which may have entered the tubes will, by the action ot' the pump, as above named, be kept free, and will naturally iind its way out through the grooves below, and thus prevent the liability ot its accu mulating within the tube.

I do not, therefore, claim as new the use ot wire-cloth or its equivale-nt as a strainer or separator of sand from water 5 but I do claim as my improvement and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The combination of the'inside tube, with the strainerl of wire-cloth or its equivalent, and the iiange to cut 0E the inferior chamber, together with the movable point, with the grooved stem, by which is secured open passage downward through the end ot` the main tube, substantially as herein described, and for the purpose'set forth.

TIMOTHY ROSE.

Witnesses:

CHAs. FOSTER, T. H. PALMER. 

